Okotoks Marauders end historic season in playoff final, fall to Calgary Shamrocks

The Okotoks Marauders' historic season came to an end in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse League Jr. B Tier 1 South Division final, with the Calgary Shamrocks finishing them off in a three-game sweep on July 22.

The Shamrocks claimed the series with an 11-9 victory in Game 3 after taking Game 2 in double overtime 17-16 and Game 1 by a 10-5 count. The loss kept Okotoks from advancing to provincials.

"It was a tough series overall," said Marauders head coach Geoff Thompson. "The Shamrocks are well-coached and they play the game the right way. We were prepared from an X's-and-O's standpoint, and unfortunately, it just didn't translate to those final scores."

Despite the playoff exit, the 2026 campaign was landmark for Okotoks. The team matched its single-season wins record at 14-3-1 while achieving it in a regular season with two fewer games, setting a new franchise win-percentage benchmark. The Marauders led the 13-team RMLL in goals with 256, goal differential at 121, and finished third in goals against with 135.

"It's our winningest season in Marauders history, something for them to be proud of," Thompson said. "The hard work really paid off in that regular season, and we just weren't quite able to get over the hump against the Shamrocks."

Second-year attacker Ben Erickson set the RMLL Jr. B Tier 1 single-season points record with 127 (53 goals, 74 assists). Drew Dunbar, rookie Landry Mitton, and Rhys Morris all finished in the division's top 10 in scoring, while freshman netminder Kalem Jenkins posted an 85.9 save percentage.

Okotoks will be able to bring nearly its entire roster back next summer, with fifth-year player Owen Williams as the only graduating member. "(Owen) is just an absolutely great kid, extremely coachable, communicates with coaches and teammates at a high level," Thompson said.